How to send gifs on WhatsApp

Did you know that you can send GIFs on WhatsApp? In this guide I’ll tell you how to use this function which allows you to share animated images with your contacts on iPhone and Android devices.

For those who have some doubts… GIFs, which stand for Graphics Interchange Format, are nothing but graphic images without sound that move in a loop, creating a particular fun effect. There are different ways to share WhatsApp animated gifs:

Send a GIF that is saved on your mobile phone

Convert a video to a GIF

Share a GIF from another app

This mind-blowing feature is available only for all devices that have the latest WhatsApp version installed, both iPhone and Android (we are waiting for Windows Phone). WhatsApp rolled out this feature to catch up with rival instant messaging services such as Facebook Messenger, Snapchat and iMessage.

How to send Gifs through WhatsApp easily

Here I’ll walk you through the procedure to share animated images both on iOS and Android. It is very easy and doesn’t require technical skills.

How to share animated Gifs through WhatsApp on Android

The easiest way to send WhatsApp gifs animated on Android is to download them from the Internet. Simply Google “WhatsApp gif” or “Gif for WhatsApp” or just look for “Gifs” and you’ll get thousands of them. Once you’ve spotted one you like, save the images to the camera roll of your phone.

Then open the recipient’s chat screen on WhatsApp, select the GIF you’ve previously saved on the phone’s camera roll, and send it as you do with normal pictures.

For both Android and iPhone users, there is the chance to search for GIFs on Giphy within the WhatsApp app and send them to their friends. For those who don’t know it, Giphy is a website that collects animated images created by users around the world and lets you share them on social networks and in group chats.

To activate the GIF search function on Android, tap on the emoji button next to the text input field and then toggle between emoji and GIFs from the new bottom bar, as shown in this photo:

With this WhatsApp has added a new way to send animated images, which would add to the photos that you take with your mobile phone or to the images with quotes that you can find here on Messaginapplab.

Option 2: you can share GIFs from other applications such as Dropbox. To do so, open the Dropbox app (or the one from which you want to share a GIF), then tap on the GIF you want to send and select “Share“. Then click on “Export” and then select “WhatsApp“. WhatsApp will open automatically, and you can then pick the contact or group to send the GIF to.

Option 3: you can create the GIF directly from a video on WhatsApp as long as it’s under six seconds. This is probably the most interesting feature, because it allows you to create your own GIF from a video recorded with a mobile phone. To use this function, proceed as follows:

Open WhatsApp

Tap on the paperclip at the top and open the video gallery

Select the video you want to convert to a GIF

Edit the video with the WhatsApp editor: Reduce the duration to 6 seconds (the maximum allowed for a GIF)

Tap on the camera icon at the top right (so that it becomes a GIF)

If you want, add a caption

Send your GIF by clicking the arrow in the bottom right

Et voila, it’s done.

N.B. Remember, a GIF has a maximum duration of about 6-7 seconds, so if the video is longer it will be posted as a video. Once you submit your GIF to your contact or group it will play automatically. The GIF will never stop playing, so they will see it in constant motion until they close the screen.

Send GIFs through WhatsApp on iPhone

Let’s see the procedure for sharing GIFs over WhatsApp on iPhone with the iOS operating system.

Here’s how:

Open WhatsApp and go to the recipient’s chat screen (or group)

Tap on “+” in the bottom left corner and then “Photo and Video Library

At this point you can select a GIF saved in the camera roll and send it, or select a video and turn it into a GIF

If the GIF is already saved, you simply select and send it

If you want to convert a video to a GIF, you should select the video, open it on WhatsApp, change the

duration to a maximum of a few seconds and click on the GIF button that appears on the screen. Then select the contact and send it

Activate GIF search on iPhone

On iPhones you can find many beautiful animated images by using GIPHY – the best online GIF search engine. With GIPHY, you can select a GIF you like and send it directly through WhatsApp.

The following is the procedure:

Open the conversation or group screen

Click on the “+” in the lower left corner

Click on “GIF”

Now select the one you prefer among those that appear or enter a search term. Then you can edit the GIF and send it!

Create a GIF from a live photo

On iPhone you can also create GIFs for WhatsApp from a live picture. Simply follow the procedure described above and, instead of tapping on GIF, go to camera roll and select a live picture. The WhatsApp editor will turn it into a stunning GIF.

Finally, for those who use WhatsApp web, unfortunately it is only able to read GIFs, and at present cannot send them.